Early Origins of the Saffith family

The surname Saffith was first found in Bedfordshire in the parish of Salford. "This place, which lies on the borders of Buckinghamshire, was formerly the property of a family who took their name from it, and was afterwards possessed by the Drakelows, and the Charnocks, from whom it passed by marriage to the Herveys." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.

Early History of the Saffith family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Saffith research.Another 175 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 126 and 1260 are included under the topic Early Saffith History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Saffith Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Saffith are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Saffith include: Salford, Sallford, Sallforde, Salforde and others.

Early Notables of the Saffith family (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Saffith Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Saffith family to the New World and Oceana

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Saffith or a variant listed above: John, Robert and Mary Salford who settled in Virginia in 1611; nine years before the "Mayflower"; John and Sarah Salford settled in Virginia in 1623..